Nothing Ever Really Ends
by 8 Navy Roses
Summary: War has broken out in the King's Ocean. The King himself dead and his servants powerless. Bellum reins over the land. With countless secrets and new memories coming to light, Ciela must delve into an unknown and troubling past if she has any chance of giving her land a future. The Final book in the Really Series.
1. Ghost of the Past

**Chapter One**

 **Ghost of the Past**

 _Linebeck handed the crumple letter to Ciela, taking ahold of her hands before she could take the paper. He took a breath to begin explaining._

" _Beck is summoning us both, Aryll, and Link to Outset. When he had arrived, he found Ruby's grave destroyed and her body gone."_

" _Make preparations. Be ready for being gone a long time. We sail for Outset tonight."_

…

"You know, Little Bro, it's odd to think about how I haven't been back to Outset Island since we left when we were two." Linette said, leaning in the open doorway of the steamship. Her eyes were studying the small island, face almost forcibly relaxed looking.

Linette turned her head to gauge Linebeck's reaction. "Do you remember any of it?" She asked, keeping her voice light.

Linebeck only gave a nonchalant shrug. "Not a damn thing." He paused to blow the fog horn, signaling his approach to the island. After he had done so, Linebeck resumed talking. "Not that I have any particular interest if I do or don't. This island doesn't hold much emotion for me."

Linette frowned, looking back at the island. "Yeah, I guess I get what you mean. Shame about almost all the old residents leaving. Place is starting to look more like a ghost town."

"Well, there's not much left here. When news spread of a new land having been found, and vastly more opportunities there, homes and businesses began spreading, leaving the island life to slowly die." Linebeck stated. "Course, there will always be people here, just… not as populated before."

The ship rumpled underneath their feet as Linebeck slowly brought the ship into port and began shutting her down.

"Rather sad to think about." Linette said, still looking out at the buildings. As night was just falling, she could see there were more buildings dark than lit. "So everyone is pretty much gone?"

"Except for the older residents, yeah, everyone followed Kid and Snailtop to New Hyrule. Like I said, more opportunities there." Linebeck said, sliding past Linette and walking out into the open deck.

"Including you." Linette said, doing a turn around to follow Linebeck. She grabbed the other side of the gangway Linebeck was picking up, helping him slide it out onto the deck and securing it. She quickly glanced up to meet Linebeck's eyes, but she didn't keep her gaze on him long.

"Well, it's not like I exactly had a permanent home in the island, closest thing I had was the _S.S. Linebeck_." Linebeck responded, walking down the gangway. "The trading post just really, sorta happened. I was always running low on funds, and the Kid was getting a surplus of treasures from helping out folks. One thing led to another and suddenly I ended up with a business."

Linette threw down a rope to Linebeck, which he began tying the ship to the dock. "And I never stopped looking for you, but…" A twinge of guilt flitted across his face. "As the years went on, you…"

"Lose hope of it ever happening." Linette finished, biting her lip to try and keep the bitter tone out of her voice.

"Yeah." Linebeck said in return. He ignored the twisting of his gut as he finished tying the rope, looking up at Linette.

At that moment, Ciela walked out onto the deck of the ship, looking out at the other ships docked.

The King of Red Lions bobbed next to the other dock, dwarfed by Aryll's ship, _The Seagull_. It looked like Ciela, Linebeck and Linette were the last ones to arrive at the island.

A flash up in the tree line caught Ciela's eyes and she looked up at the forest in time to catch blue melting back into the treeline.

" _Followed or was already here?_ " Ciela wondered to herself. Saying nothing, Ciela jogged to join Linebeck and Linette as they had begun to move toward the end of the dock, were Beck waited.

"So-" Linebeck had started to inquire before Beck held up a hand, stopping Linebeck from talking.

"With it getting dark out, we're moved to Link's grandmother's home. I'll discuss all what has happened there." Beck said.

Ciela and Linebeck nodded their understanding. Night falls quick and even in the daylight, the bridge wasn't the most safe of crossings.

"Lead the way." Ciela said, gesturing to the other side of the island.

Beck gave a single, silent nod. He began to walk, the others following suit.

Ciela moved to be next to Beck, resting a hand on his shoulder. "How are you doing?" She softly asked, trying to keep her tone gentle.

Beck looked like he had been wrung through the wringer, emotionally. His shoulders were slumped inward, but tense, as if waiting for a punch to suddenly come swinging. Face taut, tired eyes flickered over to Ciela, but quickly moved back to the trail.

"As well as someone who's love's grave has been desecrated." Beck said, voice filled with dull bitterness, like an a pebble that had been tossed again and again against the sand without a chance to rest. His shoulders tensed up even more before Beck seemed to deflate, voice suddenly going empty, almost begging in tone. "She just deserves the chance to _rest_ and she can't even get that, even in fucking _death!_ "

Ciela swallowed hard, resisting the urge to look back at the forest. "Well, hopefully none of this is affecting her rest in the spirit realm." Ciela said, her words sour in her mouth.

"Goddesses, I've been praying that every day now." Beck said, still keeping his eyes steadfast to the ground.

Ciela fell silent, and soon the group was walking into the house, the smell of simmering vegetables and broth and the warmth of the fire enveloping them from the chill of the night. Ciela breathed in slowly, savoring the comforting scent in such troubling times.

"Well, I can't believe my own eyes.".

Linette gave a start at the unfamiliar tone, eyes searching to locate the warbling voice before settling on Granny sitting in a chair by the fire, a pair of knitting needles resting in her lap. "I'm sorry?" Linette said, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.

Granny pushed herself out of the chair, grabbing her cane that had become a necessary accessory in her old age. She hobbled over to Linette, smiling warmly at her.

"What a fine young woman you have become from that tiny babe I delivered so many years ago." Granny said, eyes studying Linette, a touch of sadness now sparkling. "So strong, to have handled all that you did."

Linebeck was the first to speak. "Did… Did you know about our mother and Adren?"

Granny gave a low sigh, losing her smile. "Yes, I did know. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I would have thought that Marlene would have explained the truth to you. Either she didn't get the chance or truly didn't plan on telling the pair of you, afraid of stirring up the past. As for I… I never seemed to be able to find the right moment of getting you alone to tell you the truth."

Linebeck rested one of his hands on Granny's, the one holding her cane. After a moment, Linette quickly followed suit, trusting to follow her brother's lead.

"Thank you for the picture, at the very least." Linebeck said. "It's the only picture we have of us with our real father."

Granny nodded, taking a steading breath. "They truly loved each other, Marlene and Adren, even after all that nasty business and Adren finding Sairu, Link and Aryll's mother. I often wonder how different things would be, if they had gotten the chance to be with one another properly." Granny moved her hand from underneath the twins'. "Ah, but listen to me prattle on, when you have other important matters that need to be discussed." She began hobbling back to the kitchen. "Please, if you're hungry, help yourself to some soup. It's been a long journey."

And with that Granny disappeared to the back of the house, the tapping of her cane soon ceasing.

Link, Aryll and Beck had already seated themselves, Beck at the head of the table, Link and Aryll to the right of him. Ciela sat to the left of Beck, Linebeck next to her, and Linette at the other end of the table. Catrain was also present, her green glow dim on Beck's head. When everyone was seated, Catrain alighted from her perch, a green flash, and she was soon hylian sized once more, standing behind Beck. One hand rested on his shoulder.

"As you are all aware, Beck and I summoned you here as Ruby's grave was desecrated." Catrain stated. Her face was smooth, and stiff, but there was fury and pain in her apple-green eyes.

"What exactly happened?" Linebeck asked, leaning forward on the table.

Beck's eyes shifted downward. "I had gone up to pay my respects, and to clean her grave, as I had done the previous year. There was no sign of anything being wrong until I reached her clearing. There, I found her grave having been wrecked to hell and back."

"Wrecked in what sort of way?" Ciela spoke this time, her expression worried.

"It looked like a bomb had went off. The ground was churned up, her grave had been split in two, and her coffin…" Beck found his voice failing him.

Catrain carried on for him. "Her coffin looked like it exploded. There was hardly anything left. Whatever cause it, it was focused from inside the coffin."

"Sweet Nayru." Link whispered, his face filled with horror and fury.

"So judging from what you've told us, something supernatural went after Ruby." Ciela said, her voice becoming filled with anger.

"Agreed. No normal hylian could have cause that much damage, and how it was caused." Catrain said, giving a solid nod, Beck also nodding. "First list of suspects are the villians from the quest two years ago."

"Well, Ganondorf is gone for good. There was no coming back from his death." Aryll stated. "Besides, he had no connection to Ruby."

"The only one that had a connection to her was the Wolf King. But he is firmly dead as well." Catrain continued.

"The only one left alive was Bellum, as the Phantom Blade sealed her away." Linebeck finished.

Link looked to Ciela. "As far as you know, Bellum should be sealed, correct?"

Ciela didn't immediately answer. In fact, she had suddenly gone pale, absentmindedly rolling the cell stone between her fingers. Before anyone could ask her if she was alright, Ciela stood up with a screech from her chair. She quickly exited the room, walking out into the night, bringing the cell stone to her lips.

"That's a comforting answer." Linebeck sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. Dropping his hands, he looked back toward the group, expression unreadable. "Bellum broke the seal once, who's to say she couldn't do it again? Quicker this time as well if she knew the weak points of it."

A tense silence fell over the group, no one sure of what to say anymore.

"Why Ruby's body though?" Aryll finally spoke, hands steepled in front of her. "If it was Bellum, why did she go after Ruby? You would think she would have gone after Linebeck or Ciela." Aryll suddenly whipped her head toward Beck.

"Beck… Ruby died from a stab wound to the stomach, correct?" Aryll asked, looking for clarification.

"Yes, she did, why... " Understanding dawned over Beck's face. "Oh Goddesses…" He whispered.

"All the villains had been dealt with by that point. Monsters were dealt with, they weren't around was fine when she got separated from us." Aryll looked to the rest of the group. "Who stabbed Ruby?"

Link looked at one of the yellowed pieces of paper lying on the table. On it was the words of the prophecy, from so long ago.

"Before they release the Wind Mage of old…" He quietly read out to the group. "What if we had been too late… what if they had managed to release him… and he was the one who killed Ruby."

"So what has he been doing these past two years? If an evil Wind Mage got loose, shouldn't we, I don't know, have heard of something by now?" Linebeck questioned, crossing his arms.

Linette finally spoke up, her voice unsure. "What. What if he was simply laying low? You know, to make sure no one knew he was, um, released." She swallowed, eyes darting from everyone now looking at her. "I mean, Jolon he, well, he hid us a long while, until the search parties, uh, stopped looking for us. Maybe this wind mage did the same thing?" Everyone was silent, processing Linette's words. "But, but but I could be wrong." Linette hurried to get out.

Catrain raised up a hand, shaking a her hand with one finger sticking out. "No. No, Linette you may be onto something." The fairy began pacing, arms folding behind her back. "If the Wind Mage was released, then he's a valid candidate for killing Ruby. Maybe… when she was trying to escape… she saw him… and he killed Ruby to keep himself a secret." Catrain froze, her voice loaded with pain.

Beck only seemed to collapse into himself further, shoulders hunched inward. "But why go after her now? What point does it send to us? What did he gain from stealing her fucking body?!" Beck was now shaking, tears running down his cheeks.

"Perhaps to make a point." Catrain spat, eyes hateful and pained again. Her own eyes shimmered with tears, but hers were of anger. "That he's done hiding."

The room fell silent once more. Seemingly all words had been spoken, and no one dared to find anything more to say.

Link looked toward the door. Ciela had yet to return and it was getting late.

"I'm going to check on Ciela." Link stated, pushing himself away from the table and out of his chair.

"I'll come with." Linebeck said, mirroring Link's movements.

Upon the half-brothers stepping outside, it was immeadiatly apparent that Ciela wasn't out on the porch. Giving a quick scan around, they spotted the glow of a lanturn at the top of the cliff. Grabbing a second lanturn, the pair began walking to the cliff.

As Linebeck and Link got closer, they found Ciela sitting on the rock, curled over the inanimate and unlit cell stone, muttering to herself.

"Please… Please pick up…. Come on, don't do to me. Not now, not with what's happening here." Ciela pleaded with the blue stone. She heard Link and Linebeck's footsteps, whipping around to look at them.

Ciela turned to look at Linebeck and Link. Her eyes were frantic and scared.

"They're not picking up." Ciela whispered, holding the stone to her chest in a poor attempt at comforting herself. "Neri, Leaf, Oshus… One of them is always there within the few minutes I'm calling them."

"When was the last time you heard from them?" Link asked, walking closer to Ciela.

"They check in every month, Great Sea time." Ciela got up from where she had been sitting and staring out at the dark ocean, beginning to pace. "But that's four months for them, and I haven't heard from them in two months here."

"So that's eight months of possible events that we won't know about unless we get into contact with them." Linebeck said in a grim tone.

Ciela nodded her agreement. "It took Beck's letter a week to get here. Plus, the month to actually sail to Outset." Ciela's voice had taken on an absent minded tone as she spoke. She was trying to process the time difference. "That's five months for them, and Goddesses, I was so focused on what was happening here, I gave no thought about how I hadn't heard from them."

Linebeck moved toward Ciela, catching her hands as she passed by him. She stopped pacing and stood there still. Her hands trembled within Linebeck's.

"I'm scared…" Ciela whispered, turning her wide eyes up at Linebeck. Tears threatened to spill from them.

Linebeck wanted to say that Oshus and the two puffballs were fine, that they could take care of themselves. But in the back of his mind, Linebeck was remembering when they learned of the Old Man's true past, and the battle Oshus had been defeated in.

Instead, Linebeck simply drew Ciela closer to him as her knees buckled underneath of her. They kneeled on the ground, holding each other close. A chill traveled down Linebeck's spine. Link placed a comforting hand on Ciela's shoulder, giving a worried look to Linebeck.

The small, blue stone remained silent.

The next morning, the group traveled up to Ruby's grave site. Upon reaching it, they realized that Beck and Catrain's words did not prepare them upon seeing the actual destruction.

Dirt and plants littered the clearing in about 20 feet every direction from Ruby's grave. Linette, Linebeck and Ciela noticed the withered blue talas amongst the plants. Tree branches above and around the grave had been bent back or broken off entirely. They too, littered the clearing.

Ruby's headstone had been split in two, but they were far apart from its original resting place where it stood whole. The Wolf's Bane, which Ruby had been buried with, was sunk into the stone, almost up to the hilt.

As Catrain said, Ruby's coffin looked like it exploded. Only pieces of wood and scraps of fabric littered the hole left in the ground.

There were no signs of Ruby's body.

Most disturbing to Linebeck, however, was the fact that as soon as he entered the clearing, Bellum's scar began twinging. The pain only grew worse the closer he got to where Ruby's grave once was. Which meant that in some way, Bellum was involved in this.

Linebeck gave voice to these concerns, causing the group to look confused and worried.

"What do you think, Sparkles? Your back giving you any trouble?" Silence was met with Linebeck's inquiry. In fact, looking at the group, Ciela wasn't with them anymore.

Linebeck turned around, as did the rest of the group, looking for his fiancee. "Sparkles?"

Ciela was standing about ten feet away from the group, staring at a patch of bushes and small saplings. No. Not just staring… She was _arguing_ with it.

"Sparkles…?" Linebeck cautiously called out, raising one eyebrow. "Why are you fighting with the foliage?"

Ciela jumped. Looking guilty, she looked to the group, before back at the patch of trees. She gave a nod to it, before walking back to the group, who all looked like Ciela suddenly grew back her wings.

Taking a deep breath, Ciela clasped her hands behind her back. "So." She started, biting her lip. She wasn't meeting anyone's inquiring eyes. "Someone did see what happened to Ruby's grave, and who did it." 

"Ciela, there wasn't anyone on the island, not even Link's grandmother…" Beck stated, his gaze confused.

Ciela took a deep breath, before gesturing to the trees she just stopped arguing with.

From it, a pale blue orb floated out. But not just any blue orb. Linebeck recognized it from the temple, so very long ago. But what was it doing here?

A ringing noise sounded, and the orb flashed, growing larger and larger. Taking shape of a translucent body. Arms and legs formed, uncurling from the orb. Hair rippled from a floppy, pointed hat that rested on the person's head. A tunic fluttered in a nonexistent breeze and well worn boots floated a few inches from the ground. Piercing blue eyes, the shade unchanged from when she was alive, gazed upon the group.

Within seconds, Ruby Tala floated before them.

…

 **I Liiiiiiiiive!**

 **So uh… it's been two years between the end of the last book to the beginning of this one. Long story short, college kicked my butt, but I still graduated in the end! Yup, college graduate which means that all I got keeping me from writing is a job and a few other things now that I'm an adult. Which means, that hopefully, I'll be getting back into the gear of writing NERE.**

 **I'm excited guys. There's a rollercoaster of emotions brimming in this fifty chapter book (yup, you read that right. Fifty chapters.) and I cannot wait until we get into it all. Lot of stuff that I've been building up.**

 **And speaking of building up, I have been once again, re-writing the first book, along with a couple chapters of the second book. It's a bit of the reason I've been slow getting this one out, as I was hoping to have that completed before starting NERE. However, as the years dragged on, I decided that it's time to get this book on the road. I'll definitely let you know when those books are completed because I'll ask you ever so nicely to re-read those updated versions as the writing will be so much better, and there will be a lot of stuff referenced there. I'm up to chapter 15 of the rewrite and Ao3 has the 12 of the updated chapters. Same name as it is here. If you got nothing else and want to see what's happening.**

 **Again, I'll definitely alert you when that is completed as again, there are things that I'm putting in the rewrite that weren't there before and I'll be referencing here.**

 **But I won't drag this author's note out much longer. Just one last quick housekeeping update, I got six chapters of a rough version of NERE writing and working on the seventh. I'm not sure when they'll be actually typed, so I'll see you folks whenever I get the next chapter typed up!**

 **Okay! Until next chapter darlings!**

 **~Roses**


	2. Eris, Spirit of Strife

**Chapter Two**

" **Eris, Spirit of Strife"**

For several moments, a deathly silence gripped the group as they stared at Ruby's ghost.

Then, Catrain exploded into fury on top of Beck's head, where she had been previously calmly sitting. "What the _hell_ is this?!" She screamed, flying off of his head. A flash, and she stormed over to Ciela and Ruby, wings beating in anger and her glow becoming tinged with black. "Is this some kind of, of, of sick trick?!"

Ruby cut in before Catrain could continue. "I swear, Catrain, no tricks, it's really me… I'm just dead."

"How long have you been this way?" Catrain demanded, gesturing to Ruby's translucent form. "How long?! Since your grave had been robbed or longer?"

"Longer." Ruby paused, before deciding to elaborate. "To give a definitive start, I've been this way since the end of the quest. That night I had woken up where I died and have been here ever since."

Catrain turned to Ciela, eyes dark and face stony. "Is that how long you've known as well?" Her words were clipped with her anger.

Ciela stared right back at Catrain, raising up her head. "I've only found out eight months ago. The night Linette had been rescued."

"So that orb really was you then?" Linebeck said, looking at Ruby while crossing his arms. He really hoped they would get out of this clearing soon, his back was killing him and he's sure that Ciela's was doing the same.

Ruby nodded back. "I would watch you guys, sometimes in my orb form, sometimes as a wolf." Her eyes shifted to Linette. "Even you, Linette."

Linette gave a start, in her mind flashing back to when she was still imprisoned. The ghost wolf she saw stalking the path, the one she drew on her walls. "That was you?" She asked.

"The very same. I would follow each of you for a time, see how you were faring. Lending aide when it had been needed." Ruby explained.

"But you wouldn't actually talk to us, let us know that-" Catrain struggled to find her words, but couldn't, clawing the air in front of her in frustration, before throwing her arms down.

"Let you know what?!" Ruby heatedly stated, the most emotion she had shown since her reveal. "That I was dead? Or stuck as a ghost? I wanted you guys to move on! Because I am dead! And there's no fixing that for me. Just because I'm a ghost doesn't mean that little fact changed. I'm dead. I can't move on, and I would watch you guys grow old and die and I would be _stuck_."

"You would talk to her, though." Catrain snapped, throwing an arm out to point at Ciela accusingly.

"Actually Catrain, other than the night of Linette's rescue, and when we met in the field the night after, Ruby had refused to speak to me anymore. I tried for weeks, but she refused. This is only the third time I've seen her."

"So why didn't you say anything?" Catrain asked.

"Oh sure, let me just drop that little bomb on you guys in casual conversation." Ciela sarcastically stated, before she could stop herself. Realizing how vicious she was sounding, Ciela took a breath and made sure to be more calm. "Really however, it was the fact that I wasn't even sure if I really had met with her. The first time I had lost a lot of blood. Could have hallucinated her. As for the second, I was still healing. I could have dreamed it, for all I have known."

Catrain's lips thinned, but at this moment, Beck's voice quietly interjected, speaking for the first time since Ruby's reveal.

"Ru… Who… Who really did kill you? Did they also steal your body?" Beck asked, stepping forward. His eyes only looked at Ruby, filled with longing and heartbreak.

That reminded everyone why they were up here in the first place, to figure that all out. Catrain stepped backward to stand next to Beck, her anger melting away to painful remembrance.

Ruby floated to where her grave once existed. "You assumed correctly last night that the Wind Mage was the one to murder me. His name is Vaati. Somehow, he had been freed before we reached the temple."

"When he found me trapped in the tunnels, we fought, and I lost. He stabbed me with a strange and ornate looking dagger."

"And your body?" Linebeck prompted.

Ruby floated down so she was sitting on what was left of her gravestone. "Vaati, accompanied by who I assumed was Bellum, were the ones who stole my body."

"Shit." Linebeck cursed. So his back was acting up for a reason. "So that bitch really is back again."

Catrain held up a hand to shush him. "But why? Why steal your body?"

"There was a reason Vaati killed me personally, rather than just let the temple squish me. That odd dagger? Apparently it housed a soul." Ruby cryptically responded. "But not just any soul. Bellum must have been the one to free Vaati as they seemed rather… romantically close."

"That's… disturbing to hear." Linebeck stated before once again Catrain shushed him.

"And this soul?"

"The dagger contained their daughter's soul." Ruby stated. "When he killed me, her soul took up residence when mine left."

The group looked at Ruby in horrified shock. With the silence, Ruby continued on, beginning to explain the events of her body being stolen.

 _ **...One week ago…**_

Ruby floated among the treetops, gazing out across the dark ocean. It was the middle of the night, the only light being the fireflies that flickered on and off throughout the foliage.

'Resting' on the leaves, Ruby wondered when Beck's ship would arrive. She always arrived a day or two before him. There was only so long one could spend hiding in the ocean. Near the shore was fine, as there was plenty to see. In the deep waters however, she hated it. The endless stretch of dark blue that faded into black, hiding what could lurk in the deep. It unnerved her, even if she couldn't be harmed as a ghost.

Ruby slowly sank until she hovered on a thick tree branch. Reclining back, she gazed up at the fireflies, thinking about the two years since her death. Her un-life was the same as ever, nothing having changed since her death.

" _Maybe I should talk to them._ " Ruby mused, Catrain and Beck flashing to the forefront of her mind. " _Maybe they could help…_ "

Ruby banished the thought. No, she made that decision and she would stick to it. She was no closer to finding out why she stuck around after her death, and if she couldn't give a reason for unsettled business, there was no point in seeking help. Coupled with the fact that there was no way of revealing her ghostly self without causing even more heartbreak and pain, not after two years. And even if they could help her move on, then they have to go through the pain of losing her all over again.

Ruby would not put them through that. Not again.

Her musings were interrupted by the sudden appearance of soupy fog. It disappeared as quickly as it arrived.

A trickle of unease ran down her non-existent spine, and Ruby slowly floated downward, phasing through tree branches until she was a few feet from the ground, disguising herself in a clump of brush beside the cliff wall. As an extra precaution, she popped into her orb form.

Ruby began trembling as she spotted the pale form of Vaati and Bellum, who Ruby recognized from Ciela and Tetra's description of the creature's human form. They were leisurely advancing upon Ruby's grave.

The pair was silent until they reached the end of Ruby's grave. They stopped, and there Vaati remained solemn while Bellum broke out into an almost giddy grin.

"Oh, can you believe it, my moon?" Bellum turned to Vaati, taking his hand. "After so many years, we are finally able to meet our daughter properly."

Ruby felt sick.

Vaati gave a gentle smile to Bellum in return. "As am I, Amiro. My only regret is that we will be looking upon the visage of a hero when we gaze upon her."

One of Bellum's hair tentacles waved in the air, as if to banish Vaati's concerns. "Do not be troubled by that, my moon. Our daughter's soul has been hard at work, changing the wolf's body to her standards with us as her parents." Bellum breathed in deeply. "Oh, I can taste her power, even as she slumbers."

"As can I, Amiro. She is quite the powerful child." Vaati agreed.

Bellum released Vaati's hand, summoning up the dagger that killed Ruby. "Then let us not delay any longer, and let our child return to us."

From her hiding spot, Ruby had ceased in her trembling, becoming frozen with terror and horror as Bellum and Vaati's plans were revealed to her. Unknowingly, she had switched back to her human form. One of her hands covered the area below her sternum, pressing tight against a former fatal wound.

Vaati took the dagger from Bellum, turning back toward the grave. He raised the dagger above him. Focusing on the ground where Ruby's body rested, Vaati began speaking.

"Rise, our child, from your slumber. Rise, to take your rightful place, with us, with your family."

As he spoke, the ground rumbled and a large crack appeared in the ground, at Bellum and Vaati's feet. The wind mage switched to an unfamiliar language, and the crack grew longer, until it stretched across Ruby's gravestone.

The world seemed to pause, and fall silent as Vaati paused.

"Rise, Eris, Spirit of Strife, daughter of Bellum and Vaati!" Vaati and Bellum commanded together.

The ground exploded and it took every ounce of Ruby's willpower not to scream out in fear and shock when her own blade came whipping through the air, through her body and rammed into the stone wall behind her.

Among the raining bits of dirt and the splinters of Ruby's coffin, a figure now floated about the gaping hole in the earth.

Ruby stared in horror at what her body had become.

Pale lavender hair floated around a lithe body, a far cry from Ruby's more stocky and buff frame. Her skin, once a deep tan, was now a pale purple-grey. Vaati repeated Eris's name and her eyes opened, revealing one crimson red and one orange, yellow and black eye, no longer Ruby's piercing grey-blue eyes.

"Mother, Father." Eris spoke in a smooth voice, looking from Bellum to Vaati. Her voice was eerily similar to Ruby's, but not quite it. It was off in a rather unnerving way, even though it would have been more creepy for her to sound _exactly_ like Ruby did.

Bellum grinned once again. "Oh yes, my moonling." She opened her arms, her tentacle hair mimicking her arms. "Come to us, Eris, darling."

Eris floated closer to them. With a flick of Vaati's hand, the now ill fitting pale blue tunic was cast away to be replaced by an off the shoulder, plum velvet dress, with black accents. Resting over that was a thick black and yellow ochre cape, excess fabric pooling around her shoulders and ground.

Bellum wrapped her arms around Eris, Vaati doing the same. Bellum's tentacle hair once again mimicked Bellum's arms, wrapping around the three of them as they embraced. If not for who it was, it could have been a charming and heartwarming family reunion.

Ruby could still only gaze on in horror. " _Oh by the grace of Din, Nayru, and Farore…_."

When they released one another, Bellum circled her hand in the air, and the thick fog from before rolled in once more.

"Come along, my moonling, and my moon. We have work to do."

Vaati took one of Eris's hand and Bellum took the other. "And there is much to tell you. But not here, where pesky mutts have bad habits."

Before the fog completely encased them, and as Vaati finished speaking, he turned and stared directly at Ruby's hiding place, locking eyes with her.

Ruby gasped in fright and flew backwards, into what she hoped would be the safety of the solid stone cliff wall.

There she waited in the silence and darkness, before slowly peeking her head back out, hoping it was safe.

All that remained was the wreckage of her grave site. The fog was gone, and with it, Bellum, Vaati, and Eris.

…

 **Plot is slooowly picking up. There's a lot of setting the stage to be done, so expect a few more chapters of material like this, of little hints of what's to come.**

 **Now, I've typed this up the night after I uploaded the first chapter, but I'm gonna wait a bit before I actually post it. Cliffhangers and all, and I don't want to spoil you folks too badly with quick updates in the beginning as they will surely slow down at some point.**

 **Next chapter, back on the S.S. Linebeck, emotional conversations and Linebeck is gonna regret sneaking Aryll on board his ship years ago.**

 **Until the next chapter, Darlings!**

 **~Roses**

 **(Okay, six months later, perfect time to post. Sigh….**

 **But I have a lot more of rough chapters written and I do have exciting news in which I am engaged! So there will be some added craziness to my life which is wedding planning.)**


	3. Setting Sail

**Chapter Three**

" **Setting Sail"**

The _S.S. Linebeck_ was eerily quiet, despite seven people (and one ghost) sitting altogether in the map room of the ship.

Ruby was floating a small distance from the table, slightly turned away, looking out one of the portholes. Beck and Catrain were sitting on the side closest to her, forming their own little group. Beck's back was to Ruby, hunched over the table, spinning something over and over in his hands. Link and Aryll were sitting to the right of them, Linette and Linebeck to the left. Ciela was directly opposite of Beck and Catrain. She was also sitting over the table, hands folded over the other.

Finally, Beck was the one to break the silence.

"Why did you come back?"

Ruby stared in confusion at Beck's back. "Come back in what way?"

"Why did you come back as a ghost?" Beck elaborated.

Ruby was silent for a few seconds. She gave a sigh, looking back out the window with a haunted expression. "I don't know." Ruby admitted with a heavy shrug of her shoulders. "I can talk all I want about unfinished business or shit like that, but at the end of the day, I got nothing concrete on why. I'm just." A pause. "Here."

Catrain frowned. She was sitting sideways in the chair, body facing the air between Ruby and Beck. Her face was focused on her adoptive daughter. "Maybe it was because you were forced out of your body… like a certain princess ancestor of yours, when Mallus needed it." Catrain's words were hesitant, hands playing with the hem of her shirt. "Maybe… it might be possible if we can get your body back-"

"No." Ruby's voice was sharp, cutting off Catrain.

Catrain froze. "You didn't even let me finish." She snapped, wings twitching upright.

Ruby shook her head. "Because I knew what you were going to say. Your next words were gonna be to try and get Eris out of my body and get me back in. It would be a miracle to do that."

"How can you be so sure of that?" Catrain said, gazing at Ruby with a firm look. "It was a miracle for your grandmother. Why couldn't we try to do the same for you?"

Ruby whirled to face Catrain, which was a bit diminished by the gentle float of her clothes. "Grandmother had her soul forcibly shoved out of her body by dark magic. Her body was living before Mallus was placed within it. I had a dagger shoved into my lungs and _choked to death on my blood._ " Ruby mimed stabbing herself, expression dark. Her words were curt. "Whenever Eris' soul entered my body, it was after my own left on my death."

Silence fell after Ruby's blunt statement. Catrain bristled like a cat, fingers curling into fists, nose flaring. She may have made a valid point. However, this was her daughter in all but blood! Ruby may not remember, but Catrain raised her for twelve years, and guided her for the next seven. And damn it all, Catrain just wasn't going to give up on her like that! Not if there was a chance…

Not with the miracles that happened in the past… Catrain gave a furtive glance behind her, at Ciela. Or at least… ones that happened in Catrain's past.

"Mam…"

Catrain's heart stopped dead at the word. Breath catching in her throat, Catrain whipped her head back toward Ruby.

Ruby floated toward Catrain, looking regretful, eyes glistening. "Mam." Ruby repeated, raising up one hand to just hover over Catrain's cheek, as close as she could get before she would pass through.

Ruby hated this. Hated that she couldn't stop _hurting_ people. Even with a simple word, Ruby could see the pain etched across Catrain's face. However, Ruby need to make Catrain let her _go._

"H How-" Catrain brokenly started to stay before her words failed her.

"When I died… and awoken as a ghost… I remembered." Ruby whispered. A tear dripped off her chin and disappeared into a wisp. "I remembered it all. Our simple life on the island, how you guided and protected me, even before we knew what fate held for me, Mam. When all I knew was the island and the sea and us."

"When the Wolf's guards found us, when you pushed me through the incomplete portal, when you discovered on the other end that I lost all of my memories… You had to let go of me then."

"That, that was different." Catrain choked out, shaking her head stubbornly, ignoring the chilly feeling of Ruby's hand passing through her. "You were still the same, just, just missing… your memories."

Ruby kneeled in front of Catrain, so she was level with the fairy. "It wasn't. I may have had the same personality, but without my memories, I was a complete stranger. Ruby was alive, but Rubi, your daughter had died. You had to let go of her to properly guide and protect my amnesiac self."

"Please, Mam, you have to do the same now." Ruby pleaded, more tears dripping into wisps. "You need to let me go. You'll tear yourself apart trying to do anything to get me back. I can't watch that. I can't be the cause of your suffering. I will always be that to so many others, I can't add you to that list. Please. _Please._ Just let me _go._ "

Silence fell over the group once more. Beck was the only one to be watching Ruby and Catrain, having turned to face them when Ruby called out to her adoptive mother. He placed what he had been fiddling with back into his pocket. Everyone else was pointedly looking away to give the two as much privacy as they could.

After what seemed like ages, Catrain finally gave a single nod. Tears were falling down her cheeks, leaving dark spots on her pants. Ruby retreated, whispering an apology to Catrain that only made her tears worse. Beck stood up at that point, gently placing his hands on her shoulders and lifting her up out of her chair, leading her out of the room.

Ruby was hanging in the back of the room, having dimmed so much she was almost translucent. At the door closing behind Beck and Catrain, she flipped into orb form, which wasn't much brighter.

Linebeck leaned forward in his chair, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "Well that was an absolute delight to watch." He muttered, eyes pinched shut.

"Linebeck." Link's voice was sharp in his reprimand. "You must realize that this is a painful twist of events for all of us, but even more so for Catrain as Ruby's adoptive mother, and Beck as Ruby's former fiancé."

"I understand that, but did they really have to hash all that business in front of us? That kind of talk is usually private." Linebeck said.

"She wasn't listening." A morose Ruby chimed in. She didn't bother with switching back to human form, or brighten her form, or even come closer to the group. "Once she gets something in her head that she must do something, she won't listen. Even if she really can't do anything about it. Catrain will only get more stubborn." A few moments of silence. "I just needed her to give up on me."

Ruby's last words were so faint that the group almost missed them. Ciela looked at her concerned, but before the spirit could say anything, Ruby floated downward and disappeared into the flooring.

"Okay, well it has been put firmly into place that Ghost Wolf can't be brought back to life. At least with our current knowledge." Linebeck stated. "What is next to figure out?" The steamship captain looked to Link for this, but Ciela was the one to speak.

"Well, we know that Bellum has broken her seal again or that Vaati released her. My bet is on her… lover… busting her out as it had taken her 28 years to break the seal previously, and that was after she had the power to terrorize the King's Ocean for years." Ciela got up and began pacing. " We have no true idea why Bellum and Vaati decided to have a child, nor what they plan to do with her. The fact that she's been named a "Spirit of Strife" concerns me, especially with the fact that I haven't heard anything from Grandpa, Neri, or Leaf."

"Perhaps a visit to the ruins of Greatfish Island will shed some light on their plans. I have the vaguest sense that Bellum was able to free Vaati much earlier than was originally planned, but decided to not tell the other two."

Ciela hesitated, looking back to where Ruby had originally been, making sure the ghost hadn't returned. She leaned over the table, lowering her voice volume. "I'm not willing to give up on Ruby just yet. From what I've heard of her Grandmother's tale, and if we learn exactly what Vaati did to her, Ruby might find that she and her Grandmother's trial are a lot more alike than she thinks."

"Ciela, Ruby did make it plenty clear that she's against it." Linette stated.

Ciela gave a smirk. "See the thing is with us fairies. We live for so long, we get pretty stubborn. Catrain is still young, she hasn't had the chance to get like me yet. Plus, she's more emotionally involved, having raised Ruby."

Linette still looked unsure, but remained silent.

"So, to get us back on track." Aryll interjected. "We go to Greatfish and check out the ruins there, see if we can find any information on Bellum and Vaati's plans." Aryll spread her hands apart on the table. "Question now is… Who is going?"

Beck's voice was the first to be heard. "I'll be going." He walked back into the room and took back his seat. Catrain trailed in after him, settling back down on his shoulder. His expression gave no inclination that he would be persuaded otherwise.

"I'll be going as well." Ciela said, also sitting back down at the table. "Bellum is involved. I need to be there to make sure she's sealed away for good this time."

Linebeck sighed. "Well, where Sparkles is going, I go. Need to make sure she doesn't get herself into a mess she can't get herself out of. Count me on the team too."

"Well, looks like I'll need to write to Tetra-" Link didn't have a chance to finish his sentence before Aryll cut him off.

"Oh no. Oh no, no, no." Aryll crossed her arms, giving Link a firm look. "You shouldn't be going this time, Link. You can't."

"Aryll, what are you talking about?" Link stared in bafflement at his 18 year old sister.

Aryll raised her eyebrows at him. "Link, you have other duties, responsibilities. You're not an eleven year old island boy or newly made husband whose wife and queen was kidnapped. You are a king and a father. They come first now." The young woman stated in a firm tone.

"Aryll, you're my little sister, you can't just demand me to stand back while Bellum and Vaati are planning something that we have no idea about!" Link said, voice raising in volume.

"Oh so since I'm only your little sister, I'm not making valid points?!" Aryll demanded, shoving herself out of her chair to get into Link's face.

"Oi, you two, break it up." Linebeck snapped. He grabbed Aryll by the back of her jacket, dragging her away from Link and back into her seat. Once making sure she was firmly parked there, Linebeck turned back to Link. "However, she is making good points, Kid." The captain curtly said, crossing his arms. "And if you're gonna try and pull the "little sister" card on her, then I have no choice but to bring out the fact that I'm your older brother. Even if only by half." Linebeck added in as an afterthought, rolling his eyes. His expression grew serious once more, leveling it against Link. "You have a duty to _Tetra_ and _Zelda_ , and to your _Kingdom_. They can't be left behind."

Link looked like he was ready to continue to protest, but the words finally seemed to process. He relaxed and gave a solemn nod. "You're right. You're both right. I'm not a simple island boy anymore. I am a king, and a father first. Hero second."

"Damn right." Linebeck replied.

Aryll scooted closer in her chair, giving her brother a nudge. "I'll be going, Big Brother. So there will be at least one Sabre taking care of this business."

Link snorted. "Okay, Aryll."

Linebeck turned to Linette. "However, with speaking of people who need to stay behind." He started, clasping his hands behind his back.

Linette's eyes widen and she opened her mouth to speak, but Linebeck didn't let her have the chance.

"I've seen Bellum in action twice over, and have no idea how Vaati works. Linette. You don't know how to fight. I don't want to be worrying about you and lose you to them."

"And I don't want you out of my sight!" Linette forcefully said, sitting up straighter in her seat. "And I can learn how to fight! Just like you did!"

Linebeck groaned, pinching his nose once again. "We have no idea when we'll be going up against them. It could be a year, it could be in a week. We have no idea, and there is a high probability that you will be grossly under skilled and unable to help when we do face them."

Linebeck walked over to Linette, sitting next to her and grasping her shoulders. Desperation tinged his voice and expression. "You saw the scars of what Bellum did to me, to Ciela when she possessed us. I don't want that happening to you."

"But what if they come here?" Linette stressed. "This Bellum and Vaati? What-what-what if they remember that you have a twin sister and come after me for leverage against you?" Linette took a breath, trying to calm her voice and thoughts, and lower her voice from how loud she was getting. "I know you're trying to keep me safe by making me stay behind, but how will you protect me if you're miles away and the fight comes to me? Why take me all this way if you're just going to send me back the moment things start getting dangerous?"

Linebeck didn't budge. "Because I said so as much before we even left Farqay. That at the slightest hint that things were going to get dangerous, you would go home. If you're really worried about the fight coming to you, then you can live with Link. There is plenty of room in the castle, right?" Linebeck looked to Link, who gave a single nod, looking a bit concerned.

"Linebeck, Goddesses damn it!" Linette cried, rising to her feet, frustration overtaking her. "I am 30 years old, a grown woman! You can't make me stay behind!"

"And 13 of those years was spent under Jolon's control, living in ropes and cages!" Linebeck roared back, getting to his feet as well.

"So you're just going to lock me up in a castle, and throw away the key!" Linette yelled. "Lock me up, just like he did."

"I did not say that, nor mean it like that, and you damn well know it!" Linebeck snapped. Breathing heavily, Linebeck rubbed his hands over his face, dropping them. "I just… I can't risk losing you again. Not after I got you back so soon."

Linette was silent until she said, "I can't lose you again either."

Linebeck gave a weary sigh, sitting back down at the table. "You can go live with Link, or go home to Farqay, or live at the Trading Post or go wherever the fuck you want. You're _not_ coming with me, and that's final."

Linette gave an angry huff. "Fine." She spat, before leaving the room.

When the door to the engine room slammed shut, Linebeck's head fell to the table with a thunk. It tilted to the side so he could look at Link. "Asking brother to brother. How do you deal with a sister?"

Link shrugged. "I can't really, you just saw that. The older she gets, the less she listened to me. Doesn't help that I had other people help her get around my orders." He leveled a pointed look at Linebeck.

The captain only mumbled out a few unintelligible words before shutting up.

"So. Now who is having emotionally charged conversations in front of other people?" Aryll casually chimed in.

Linebeck only made a crude hand gesture to her.

Aryll tsked. "Well, I'm going to go talk with her. Since I do have some experience being the one left behind." She didn't look to Link, but enough was implied.

Leaving the group as they began making further plans, Aryll made her way off of the _S.S. Linebeck._ She found Linette pacing on the cliff, muttering angrily to herself about 'uptight brothers' and a few unfriendly words thrown in. Aryll found herself understanding Linette. She remembered when she was that way.

"Hey, Linette!" Aryll called, walking up to the older woman.

Linette yelped, whirling around to meet Aryll's eyes, her own taking on a wild look to them. "Aryll!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Aryll said, internally wincing. She forgot that Linette needed someone to make noise when walking up to her and the woman was unaware that they were there. "I just wanted to talk to you. Mind if I sit?"

Linette was silent before she relaxed a bit and nodded.

Aryll sat down on the cliff rock and patted the space next to her. Linette slowly lowered herself next to Aryll.

"When I was eight, I was kidnapped by a creature known as the Helmaroc King, right over there, on that bridge." Aryll started. "It was controlled by a powerful man named Ganondorf. I was his prisoner for about five to six months while Link sailed around trying to save me.

When he finally did, I was then stuck on a pirate ship for more time, as Link got more involved with hero business and had no time to escort me home. I didn't like it, but even at eight I understood the need. Plus, the pirates were pretty nice. Even sewed me a new dress, saying that if I was going to travel with pirates, I needed to look the part. Still, I thought that once everything was finished, it would all go back to normal.

So Link took down Ganondorf, met back up with us, we sailed home to Outset… and within the month… he was gone again. And I was left behind."

Aryll sighed. "That's how it was for the next seven years. Link would be gone, come back for a couple of weeks and then sail off again. I started training with Orca, our resident swordsman, when I turned eleven, hoping that if I could just prove myself… Link would finally take me with him.

"When Ciela and Tetra had been captured, the conversation you had with Linebeck played out in the same way with Link and I."

Linette frowned. "But you were there. What changed his mind?"

Aryll gave a soft chuckle. "When I showed up on the _S.S. Linebeck_ a couple of days into the trip. Linebeck had smuggled me aboard and I rode in the cargo hold. Link and I got into an awful fight when Linebeck "discovered" me, but he finally allowed me to stay."

"Well, I highly doubt Linebeck will smuggle me aboard his ship." Linette grumbled.

"Yeah, I highly doubt he would as well" Aryll agreed, before giving a Tetra smirk. "But I can smuggle you on board mine."

Linette's head snapped to the young woman. "What?!"

"I said I'll bring you on board mine. Linebeck said you're not going with _him._ Nothing about going with anyone else."

"Holy shit, you're serious?"

Aryll nodded, but her expression quickly grew serious. "However, you have to promise me two things." She raised up a hand, bringing up one finger. "One. Linebeck is correct. You don't know how to fight. I have a training room on my ship, and I will expect you there each morning. Myself and a few other crew members will train you in the art of fighting. We'll start you off slow, but raise the difficulty when you've proven yourself."

Aryll raised up a second finger. "And two. I don't expect you to officially sign on, and when all of this business is handled, you can leave. However, in addition to training, I want you working on the ship. Help you learn the ropes, and help strengthen you up. As I will be your captain in all but officially, I expect you to listen to me, and my crew." Aryll looked at Linette, eyes steely. "You understand?"

Linette swallowed, but gave a single steady nod. "I understand."

Aryll nodded back. "Alright, you'll bunk with me. I have space for a hammock. Pack your things. As Link will be leaving before us, I'll talk to him."

"Are you sure he won't say anything to Linebeck?"

Aryll shook his head. "We may butt heads time to time, but Link knows that I know what I'm doing. He'll keep this a secret."

"Hopefully." Linette said.

Aryll stood up to go. As she started to round the cliff face, Linette called out her name. Aryll looked back at the woman.

Linette was wringing her hands, looking a little nervous. "Thank you. For doing this. For taking me on your boat." Linette said. "You could have just taken Linebeck's side in all of this. But you, um, didn't. So … Thank you… Captain."

Aryll smiled. "Of course. I know what it's like being the sister left behind." Aryll raised up a hand in a wave. "See you in the morning, Linette. And you don't have to call me Captain."

"See you in the morning… Aryll." Linette called back, bobbing her head in understanding. She watched the young woman walk away, not sure what to feel or think.

…

 **And another chapter done! I apparently started typing this back in the summer, so I had a nice head start. Hopefully I don't take another six months to upload this chapter.**

 **But history repeats itself as our adventurers set off in hopes of figuring out their enemies plans. Next chapter, Linebeck's reaction, and Beck has a favor to ask of Ciela. See you dearies then!**

 **~Roses**


	4. Grandmotherly Advice

**Chapter Four**

" **Grandmotherly Advice"**

Linebeck slammed shut the door to the map room so hard that the inkwells rattled on the table. "I cannot _believe_ her!"

Ciela jerked her head up, halfway rising up out of her seat where she was looking over maps of Greatfish Isle. "Who?" She asked, expression alarmed.

"Linette Brante!" Linebeck exclaimed, throwing his arms up into the air, expression furious. "Or Aryll Sabre, take your pick!"

Ciela slowly sat down, feeling more confused. "Linette should be sailing back to Farqay or to New Hyrule with Link…"

Linebeck gave a sarcastic laugh. "Key word is should be." Giving a frustrated shake of his head, Linebeck began pacing, too upset to try and keep still. "However she is on _a_ ship with _a_ Sabre." He swung one of his hands into the vague direction of Aryll's ship, _Seagull._

So that explained why Linebeck was angry at Aryll.

Ciela scooted her chair closer to Linebeck, who finally seated himself at the table, cradling his head into his hands. She placed her hands around his back, leading Linebeck to press his head against her chest. To further comfort him, Ciela began rubbing circles into his back.

"These girls are trying to send me to an early grave." Linebeck bemoaned, words muffled by Ciela's shirt.

"I wonder why Link didn't say anything. He left before us." Ciela wondered, brow knitting together in confusion.

"Probably as payback for smuggling Aryll on board my ship three years ago, the asshole." Linebeck griped.

Ciela shook her head. "No. I don't think Link would gamble with Linette's life like that. Not over some payback or revenge. With Aryll, he knew that she knew how to fight and defend herself. She had trained for four years by that point. Linette doesn't and you made a good point with that."

"That's why I told her that I would only take her aboard my ship on the condition that she train with me and my crew."

Ciela looked up to see Aryll leaning in the now open doorway, arms crossed. Her hair was tied back in her customary braid, a few tendrils having escaped. Her face was stern.

Linebeck lifted his head from Ciela's chest, not saying anything. Brows knitted together and lips thin, he gestured for Aryll to continue talking.

"The night before we left, I talked to Linette, and told her that I would take her on my ship." Aryll explained. "However, I only did so after she agreed to two conditions. That she would work on my ship as if she was part of my crew, and that she would train with me. If she didn't, I was dropping her off at the nearest populated island and she could figure out her own way home from there."

"You've been training her?" Ciela questioned.

Aryll nodded. "I have. And if this hot head actually hung around long enough, he would have seen that she's been keeping to her part of the deal. We've started with hand to hand combat, and exercises to begin building up her strength. Between myself and a couple other crew members, Linette has been progressing quite well."

Linebeck tried to interject at this point. "Net's not-"

Aryll raised up one eyebrow, cutting Linebeck off. "Not what? A fighter? You could have said that about any one of us. Yesterday, she was already down in the training room, practicing moves. Said that she had already been down there for an hour."

Linebeck only looked away from Aryll's gaze, still looking incredibly tense. Ciela chose to only sit back and watch, knowing she shouldn't get in between this.

"Why did you smuggle me on board your ship?" Aryll suddenly asked, moving further into the room.

"Because I knew you could take care of yourself." Linebeck answered. "I had seen your skill in weaponry and actually fighting."

"And I know Linette will be able to take care of herself. Once she has the proper training." Aryll stressed.

Shaking his head, Linebeck got up from his chair. "There's a difference between knowing how to fight, and actually being in one." He began to leave the room, only pausing in the doorway and leveling a serious gaze at Aryll.

"I'm not happy with this, and if I could make it so, Linette would be dropped off on the next populated island to go home." He stated. "But I can't, so I will only say this."

"If anything happens to Linette, that causes permanent injury or her death, I will hold you personally responsible, Aryll."

With that, Linebeck left the room, his footsteps telling that he retreated to the lower levels of the ship.

"He does have a point. Knowledge does not make a fighter." Ciela said, keeping her expression neutral as she turned back to the maps. "My sister knows how to, but she is most assuredly a healer. She can't find herself to bring harm to another living being, monster or not."

Aryll sighed, not responding to Ciela's comment. "I am a man of my word." She moved to leave. "I need to be getting back to my ship. I left Linette in a bit of a rush. Don't want her thinking that I'm having second thoughts about our agreement."

Then, she was gone from the room as well, leaving Ciela alone.

Not for long, however. As Ciela rolled up the Greatfish Isle map, there was a knock from the doorway. She looked up to see Beck standing in the doorway, one hand still raised up to the doorframe.

"Mind if I interrupt?" Beck asked, pointing at the table. He looked like he had a lot on his mind, playing nervously with the hem of his vest.

"Oh, not at all. I was finishing up here anyway." Ciela said, sliding the maps away.

"Well firstly, what was all that ruckus about Linette?" Beck asked, sitting down in the chair Linebeck had been in only a few minutes earlier.

"Heard all that, did you?"

"Kind of hard not to, with you folks right above me, and then Linebeck stomping down with a storm over him." Beck said.

"Well, Aryll decided to smuggle Linette aboard her ship. Linebeck and myself just found out about it." Ciela explained.

Beck gave a low whistle. "Ah, that explains a good deal. That must have been… interesting to watch."

Ciela only gave a low hum of agreement.

There were a few moments of silence, until Beck suddenly blurted out "I want you to talk to Ruby for me." 

Ciela reeled back in shock. Before she could say anything in response, Beck carried on.

"I've been wanting to talk to her ever since she revealed herself to all of us. But she's been pretty good about avoiding myself and Catrain. I thought that since she revealed herself to you first, that maybe she would actually talk to you." Beck's words had a hint of panic in them, him almost stumbling over his words in his rush to get them out, as if Ciela would refuse before he could finish speaking. "I know it's odd to ask you but…" Beck seemed to run out of steam.

Ciela gave a low sigh, bottling up an inkwell. "Beck, Ruby may have revealed herself to me, but that was to only make sure I wouldn't say that she was still hanging about as a ghost. After that, even if I was absolutely positive that she was around, if I tried getting her attention, she would ignore me."

"Can you still please try?" Beck pleaded, scooting closer to Ciela. "Just let her know that I want to talk to her, that there were things that I never got to say, things I regret doing. I just… want to, well, deal with some unfinished business before she goes away again." Beck looked to the side, hands playing nervously with each other.

Against her better judgement, Ciela found herself saying "I'll try my best" to Beck.

"You will?" Beck's head snapped to Ciela's, expression brightening up.

"Please don't expect anything, however, she will most likely refuse to talk to me as well." Ciela cautioned Beck. "And if she does, you may just have to leave that business what it is… unfinished."

"With all due respect, but screw that talk." Beck's voice was sharp. He drew himself to be sitting straight, a firm look in his eye. "Ruby can be stubborn all she wants, but I can be stubborn too. If she won't talk to you, then I'll pester her until she's yelling at me to shut up."

"We never gave up on the other during our rough times, I don't understand why she thinks I'll act any different since she's a ghost." Beck shook his head. "Just remind her about the wolf trap. She'll know what I'm talking about."

Ciela gave Beck a quizzical expression.

"I won't say why, but she had gotten stuck in a wolf trap and refused to let me release her. She… She was going through some shit, to put it simply. She was snarling and making a huge ruckus, wouldn't let me get anywhere near the trap. It was cold, and raining so hard, it was like the sacred realm had opened up on us. We were both soaked to the bone and shivering." Beck said.

"Jeeze, so what did you do?" Ciela asked.

"Well, I plopped myself right down in the mud and sat there, waiting. She eventually passed out from the conditions. I got her out, found us a cave to hide in, and patched her up there." Beck gave a smile. "Weather conditions are much better now. She wants to be stubborn? Fine, I'll be stubborn right back. I'm not going to give up on her."

" _I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON HER!"_

The words roared in Ciela's head, so loud she winced in pain. It was her own voice, her tone angry and pained filled. However…

...Ciela doesn't remember saying that. At any point in her life.

Her wince didn't go unnoticed by Beck. "Ciela, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I think I just didn't get enough sleep or something." Ciela waved a hand into the air, trying to banish Beck's fretting. "The pain already passed, nothing to worry about." No need to tell him she's been hearing voices in her head. "But I will do my best with Ruby." Ciela stated, trying to switch the topic.

Beck didn't seem all that convinced, but let the subject drop. "Thank you, Ciela, I hope she will listen to you."

Ciela only hummed in response. Beck got back to his feet, saying that he should probably get back to servicing the cannon.

Twirling a quill in her fingers, Ciela remained seated. Her eyes were distant, her thoughts still on the odd memories and the snippets of sentences that were occuring with more and more frequency. She didn't know what was causing it, or why she was hearing things that never happened. All Ciela knew was that ever since she learned of Bellum's return, these… incidents had begun.

Ciela drew out a small tan journal, silently recording the words. She didn't know what this was… but she had a feeling that she wasn't going to like it if she ever does find out the reason for why it was happening.

Weeks passed. The group had reached Greatfish Isle, the island almost unchanged in the years passed. Ruby, Ciela, Beck, Catrain, and Aryll had been the ones to venture into the temple, leaving the twins behind. Linebeck wanted nothing to do with a temple that looked like it would finish falling at any moment. For Linette, it simply brought back bad memories of her imprisonment.

Linebeck walked out of the engine room, trying to see if the group was making their way back yet. Instead he found Linette awkwardly pacing the front of his ship, looking nervous. She didn't notice Linebeck yet. For a brief moment, Linebeck thought about simply retreating. Then he internally sighed.

No. He needed to end this moody silence he created between the two of them. Linebeck walked forward, letting his footfalls announce his presence.

"So how is training going?" Linebeck called out.

Linette's head snapped to Linebeck, surprised and slightly startled. "What?"

"Training. On Aryll's ship? How is that going?" Linebeck repeated, casually leaning against the rope railing. He gestured for Linette that she could do the same.

"Oh! Uh, it's been going well." Linette stated. She slowly lowered herself to be mirroring Linebeck. "We started working with wooden swords. Practicing moments and once Aryll deems me in control of them, she'll have me start training with actual wooden swords."

"And working on her ship?" Linebeck prodded.

"That has been going well. It's tough, but I've been building my strength up and it's been good to just… lose myself in the work? If that makes sense."

"It does." Linebeck assured Linette. "I'm glad Aryll is making sure no limbs are gonna be lost."

Linette hummed her agreement, an amused tone to her hum. Before she could speak further, Linebeck carried on.

"Linette… I'm sorry about getting upset as I did. When I learned about you training. I just… The reason I'm so upset is I am terrified of losing you. I've spent so long trying to find you, that now that you're back with me... " Linebeck sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not trying to limit your choices here, but Linette. In some ways, you act like you're still sixteen. Untouchable and immortal. Ready to take on the world by storm."

Linette shifted on her feet, looking away from Linebeck in discomfort.

Linebeck carried on. "Jolon was one kind of evil. You think that since you survived him, you would be able to handle Bellum and Vaati. They are leagues above him. Bellum possessed myself and Ciela because it was amusing to her to make us fight our loved ones while slowly sucking away our life force. For Vaati… he murdered a young woman without a second thought just because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he needed a vessel. It wasn't because he had a grudge on her, it wasn't because he needed to fake another's death. It was simply convenient for him to do so. Bellum and Vaati… they murder people because it's _fun_ to them."

Linebeck fell silent for a few moments after his rant. He looked over and saw how anxious Linette was looking, as she picked at spare fibers on the rope railing. He took her hand, beginning to speak once more.

"I'm not telling you this in an attempt to scare you, or to make you turn back. But if you're truly set on this, I want you to know exactly what you are getting yourself into."

Linette squeezed her brother's hand, trying to find the words that told him she was ready.

"I just… don't want to be stuck at home, waiting on you to come back to me. And I am-... I will be ready. For whatevers happens."

"You won't be. None of us ever are." was the only thing Linebeck said in return. He still squeezed Linette's hand back, wordlessly telling her that he was still with her.

Before either of them could say anymore, four figures popped out the ruins. They began picking their way carefully over the stones, heading back toward the ship. Ruby, simply phasing through the rubble, soon overtook them and reached the ship in no time.

Linebeck started to ask if they had any luck, but Ruby was already shaking her head no.

"Nothing but my old bloodstains and wreckage. If there was anything left behind that could explain anything, Bellum and Vaati made sure it was destroyed." Ruby floated through the ship without any further word.

Linebeck offhandedly wondered where Ruby went to hide, but still managed to stay into contact with the group.

The twins waited until everyone made it back to the ship, before they all went below decks to plan their next move.

However, nothing was accomplished. Greatfish Isle was the only place in the Great Sea that Bellum and Vaati had been present in. With nothing found there, and no word still from Leaf and Neri, the group could only sit around and twiddle their thumbs.

Ciela made the decree that they would remain docked here for the night, then in the morning they would make their way back to Outset. Maybe they would find something more there to point them in the right direction.

After that, everyone retired to bed for the night. Everyone save one.

Giving a sigh, Ciela began to ascend the steps up into the engine room. She was really only grasping at straws with the decision to return to Outset. Between Ruby having hovered there for the few days, plus Beck turning over the place, and then a second time with everyone else, Ciela was positive that nothing of use was left behind.

The only place that the pair could be was the King's Ocean. And with the continued radio silence from Oshus, Leaf and Neri... Ciela feared for what could have happened to her family.

Her nightmares seemed to all too eager to supply her with a seemingly endless list of scenarios for what Bellum had planned for them. At this point, Ciela would dress herself for bed, but never even touch the covers. She figured she wasn't going to get sleep anyway, so why even bother to try?

So Ciela made her way to the open deck, cup of tea in hand, hoping the cool night air would help her think of what she could possibly do next that wasn't just… sitting and waiting around for more information.

However, she wasn't the only one deciding to spend the night on the deck. Hovering over the rope railing on the portside of the ship, looking out toward the temple, was Ruby.

Ciela hesitated for a moment, thinking of giving Ruby the privacy the ghost was so insistent upon. Just as Ciela turned to go back inside, her conversation with Beck floated to the forefront of her mind.

"Nice night out." Ciela called out, walking up beside Ruby. She took a causal sip of her tea.

Ruby jumped, having been startled by Ciela suddenly appearing behind her. She had partly fallen through the rope railing in her surprise. "Goddesses, you scared me."

"Isn't scaring people the ghost's job?" Ciela teased, giving Ruby a grin.

Ruby gave a snort, but didn't say anything in response. Instead, she started floating downward, intending to disappear like she always did.

Ciela sighed, leaning over the railing. "Ruby stop trying to hide. I need to talk to you." All humor had left her voice.

"What on earth would you have to say to me?" Ruby snipped, crossing her arms. She hadn't moved from where she was, feet having just dipped into the ocean.

"Well, really Beck asked me to talk to you." Ciela admitted, looking down at Ruby. "He hoped that you would talk to me. He said he had some stuff he wanted to talk about, unfinished business between you two."

Ruby was quiet for a few moments. "... Nothing about trying to convince me to try and find ways to get me back to life?"

Ciela shook her head in the negative. "Not a peep. He just wants to talk to you before you end up disappearing for good again, whether from self-exile or actually being able to pass on."

Ruby was again silent, but she started to float back out of the ocean.

"He also mentioned something about a wolf trap, a bad rainstorm, and the fact that the weather is a lot fairer for him to wait you out." Ciela continued.

At that, Ruby sighed, floating fully up to settle back down on the rope railing. "That boy is stubborn like that."

"Reminds me of someone else." Ciela off-handedly said, giving Ruby a sideways look.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "I'm being this way for a good reason."

"But this isn't you, Ruby." Ciela insisted. "From what I've heard Beck say about you, you're being a shadow of yourself. Why are you pushing away and hiding from everyone?"

Ruby huffed. "Is it not obvious? Once Eris is taken care of, I'll finally pass on. Or worse, what if I _don't_? What if I just end up… Stuck here?" Ruby suddenly looked lost, drawing her knees up to her chest, looking out toward the temple ruins. "What happens then? If I talk to them, hang around, we'll slowly forget that, no matter what happens, this is only temporary. If I'm stuck… we won't even get to be reunited forever in the Sacred Realm."

Ciela swallowed, knowing she had to pick her next words carefully. Taking a sip of tea, Ciela spoke. "That sounds like you're only trying to protect yourself from that heartache."

"Excuse me?" Ruby snapped, facing Ciela. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ruby, I highly doubt any of us would forget that you're a ghost. And you're talking about Catrain and Beck. Catrain is a spirit, she's gonna be living for thousands, if not hundred of thousands of years." Ciela paused. "Beck… Well something tells me that if you were stuck here as a ghost, that when he died, he would become a ghost until the both of you could finally pass on to the Sacred Realm together."

"So with that thinking in mind, your reasoning sounds like you're worried that they'll be the ones moving on. From you."

Ruby's flinch was clear indication to Ciela that she hit the nail on the head. Ciela carried on with her thoughts.

"You're thinking that if you distance yourself, that if you act cold and aloof, that if you push them away first, it won't hurt if they move on from you. You're only just trying to protect yourself with this way of acting."

"Can't I be that selfish?" Ruby whispered. "I've had to protect everyone else since I was a child. So many years, half my life had been spent protecting others. Maybe I just want to finally protect myself for once."

Ciela shrugged. "Well, then that's your choice. But I'll tell you one thing. I know I'll be making the most of the time I'll have with Linebeck, Link and everyone."

Ruby's gaze turned confused while also still upset. "What are you talking about?"

Ciela ran a finger around the rim of her mug. "A couple months after I traveled here, Oshus contacted me. Even though I'm physically Hylian, my lineage couldn't be totally erased. I'm going to live well into my hundreds, could even make my two hundreds if I treat myself right."

Unsure of what she was supposed to say in return, Ruby remained silent.

"All I'm trying to say here, Ruby, is don't be afraid of the time that you have with someone, whether it's short or long. Everyone's time together is temporary, we just have to enjoy what we're given with them." Ciela finished, turning herself around to stare at the endless dark ocean on the other side of the boat. She leaned on the railing, it creaking under her weight.

"... I'll… I'll think about what you've said." Ruby finally settled on.

Ciela only gave a smile and single nod of acknowledgement.

The two fell into silence, the only sounds being the wind whistling around the ruined temple and the waves crashing against the side of the boat. Ciela turned her gaze from the dark ocean to the starry sky. With no moon in the sky and the lanterns having been doused, the stars were especially bright that night. Ruby was the only thing that gave off any kind of light.

They were both lured into a sense of peace by it all.

A peace that was shattered by the blue stone hanging around Ciela's neck suddenly lighting up.

"-ela! Ciela! Please be there for the love of the Ocean King!" Neri's voice cracked through the air, chasing away any silence remaining. Her voice was panicked and sounded like she was out of breath. Even with her screaming, she was still almost drown out by the sounds of fighting and a storm in the background.

Ciela, in her haste to grab at the stone, simply dropped her mug. It shattered, cold tea soaked her slippers. Ciela paid it no attention as she fumbled for the stone. Ruby only watched in alarm.

"Neri?! Neri, I'm here! I'm here, what's happening over there?!" Ciela cried, staring at the stone with panicked eyes as it hovered in her palm.

"By the grace of- LEAF, HOLD THAT DAMN LINE!" Neri screamed. There was an explosion. Screaming followed it.

"Goddesses, Neri, What's! HAPPENING?!" Ciela yelled, trying to make Neri hear her.

"It's… It's Bellum! She's back and she has help. Someone with white hair and-and-and someone they keep referring to as their daught-" Neri's voice was drowned out by another explosion. After it faded, Neri was still talking, sounding close to tears. "Ciela, we need you here. The world- It's worse, so much more worse than the last time. She went for us all first-" Another explosion. " Didn't bother with capturing-" Something crashed and Neri yelped. "Oh Ocean King, that idiot is going to get himself _killed_ as well. LEAF. IT'S. OVER. THERE. ERIS IS OVER. THERE-" A distant cackle, and thunder crashed.

"We're helpless, please Ciela, please find someway to us. Bellum is going to kill us all at this rate." Neri sobbed.

Ciela could only stare in horror at the blue light, listening to her sister's broken voice on the other side.

"Leaf and I are powerless. Oshus must have done something to us before Bellum got him." Neri said, voice cracking as she forced out her words between sobs. "We're on Spirit Isle. It's the only safe land within the ocean now."

Things became eerily calm when Neri spoke her next words.

"We're dying, Ciela. We're going to die if nothing changes. So _please._ Find your way back to us. Or we're all going to perish."

"I promise!"Ciela gasped out, her vision going blurry. She hastily rubbed at her eyes. "We're already trying, we- Neri please hang on!"

There were more explosions and Neri yelled Leaf's name once more as an explosion overtook her voice.

Neri's scream went silent as the stone suddenly went dark, dropping into the cup of Ciela's palm.

The world around Ciela and Ruby went silent and dark once more.

…

 **Things are starting to kick up. See you dearies in the next chapter…**

 **~Roses**


End file.
